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Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Suspect behind triple stabbing in Vancouver was on day release

By
Quinn Patrick
-

A festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown ended abruptly after a triple stabbing occurred on Sunday, leaving victims severely wounded and the community reeling. It has been revealed that the assailant behind the stabbing was on a day release from a forensic psychiatric hospital.

The festival, known as Light Up Chinatown! is aimed to spotlight Vancouver’s Chinatown community.

Blair Evan Donnelly, 64, is now in custody and has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault. 

According to the Vancouver Sun, Donnelly was first convicted of murder for stabbing his teenage daughter in 2006, however he was sent to the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam, B.C. because he was found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. 

Once a judge determines that the accused is not criminally responsible or unfit for trial, their care and conditions are decided by the B.C. Review Board, who will make decisions on where they will stay and if they can be allowed in public again. 

In 2009, Donnelly committed another stabbing while on a day release from the hospital. 

B.C. Premier David Eby reacted strongly after learning Donnelly was on day release.

“I am white hot angry that this person was released unaccompanied into the community to have a devastating impact on all the hard work of all of these community members,” said Eby on Tuesday in Surrey.

“I cannot fathom how someone who murdered his daughter was released in 2009, went out and stabbed somebody else, would then be released again, unaccompanied, somehow able to go out and buy a knife, go to Chinatown and stab three people. How is that possible?” said Eby.

The premier said that “an independent person” will investigate the case and look into the decision-making process behind the day release from the psychiatric hospital.

Carol Lee, chairwoman of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, said that the festival is meant to “bring the community together to celebrate the progress.” 

Crime in the Chinatown neighbourhood has been a concern for many in recent years. 

“(We) thought things were normal, but it’s a good reminder that there are a lot of things that are in play in Chinatown,” said Lee, who co-organizes the annual festival through her foundation. 

The victims of the attack were a Burnaby couple in their 60’s and a young Vancouver woman in her 20’s. They are all suffering severe but non-life-threatening injuries, according to Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer.

The attack occurred near the festival’s main stage around 6 p.m. and Donnelly was arrested shortly after, several blocks away.

“Please know that we’re in this together and that we have your backs and that crimes like this one that happened last night do not define the Chinatown community,” said Palmer.

Lee said the Chinatown neighbourhood is facing a number of issues that are “not going to be an easy fix.”

“So, we’re going to have setbacks along the way. But I think that we’re on the right path, and it will take us time to sort of regroup (for) what will come next,” she said. “I have no doubt that the community will come together, stronger and more determined to make the neighbourhood a safe place for all,” added Lee.

BC United MLA Bruce Banman crosses floor to Conservatives

By
Quinn Patrick
-

BC United MLA Bruce Banman is crossing the floor to join the BC Conservatives, True North has learned.

The Abbotsford South MLA will announce the move Wednesday morning.

This marks the second sitting MLA to leave the BC United caucus, formerly called the BC Liberals. With two sitting MLAs, the BC Conservatives will now have official party status in the legislature.   

Party status will allow the BC Conservatives to have a caucus budget, extra office space and other advantages not granted to other parties who do not meet the requirement. 

“When I was elected MLA for Abbotsford South, I promised to bring the concerns of everyday hardworking people and families to the forefront in British Columbia’s Legislature in Victoria,” wrote Banman in a statement.

“Today, after careful consideration, I have made the decision to join the Conservative Party of British Columbia to keep that promise to my community and my constituents.”

Premier David Eby amended the Constitution Act in 2017 while serving as Attorney General to allow parties with two or more MLAs to achieve official status. Prior to the amendment, the requirement was a minimum of four MLAs.

First elected in 2020, Banman was the BC United Critic for Emergency Management, Climate Readiness and Citizens’ Services. Prior to serving as an MLA, he was the mayor of Abbotsford from 2011 to 2014.

MLA John Rustad became the BC Conservative leader earlier this year after being ejected by BC United leader Kevin Falcon in March 2023 in response to comments he made questioning the official narrative around climate change.  

At the time, Rustad was criticizing the link between CO2 emissions and climate change. 

“I do not plan to stay silent on the many issues that are just wrong,” he said at the time. “I plan to be vocal about them.

“It doesn’t serve the environment movement well, it doesn’t serve us as a province well.

Rustad was acclaimed to the party’s top post Friday within a month of the party announcing a leadership race. Rustad replaced interim leader Trevor Bolin who led the BC Conservatives since 2019.

In his statement, Banman said that he looks forward to working with Rustad in opposing “Trudeau-backed policies” like the carbon tax.

“Conservatives have common sense. We don’t support Trudeau-backed policies like the punishing carbon tax that hurts everyday people; we refuse to condone the ideological NDP education agenda that teaches students what to think instead of how to think; and, we will never support the myth of safe supply that kills British Columbians and poisons our communities with hard drugs,” said Banman.

In February, he first renounced his status as an independent, before eventually joining the BC Conservatives and becoming the party’s first sitting MLA in over a decade. 

Prior to his switch, he had served as the Minister of Aboriginal Relations under former premier Christy Clark.

“I believe in a more self-sufficient BC,” he told True North at the time, “ripe with economic opportunity, compassion for those in need and a protection for our most personal freedoms. 

“Only one party offers this vision – the Conservative Party of BC.”

Rustad’s announcement that he’d join the Conservatives came six months after being ousted from the BC Liberals and some polls show the BC Conservatives ahead of BC United.

With files from Cosmin Dzsurdzsa.

The Andrew Lawton Show | Banned from covering Liberal caucus retreat

By
Andrew Lawton
-

True North’s Andrew Lawton was barred from covering the Liberal caucus retreat in his own city of London, Ontario. True North received no response to its requests for accreditation, and yesterday Andrew was turned away at the media registration desk, without so much as a reason for the rejection. In this episode, Andrew discusses.

Then, Professor Ross McKitrick on how the federal government’s “energy efficiency” plan is making the housing crisis worse.

Plus, a sit-down with Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman from the Conservative convention in Quebec City.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

The Daily Brief | Canadians want Trudeau to reduce immigration targets

By
Noah Jarvis
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A Nanos poll has revealed that over half of Canadians would like to see the Trudeau government lower the number of incoming immigrants and international students, planned for 2023.

And six months after British Columbia decriminalized simple possession of virtually all drugs, statistics show that drug overdoses are projected to hit an all time high in the province by the end of the year.

Plus, Taiwan is offering its help to Canada to combat election interference efforts conducted by Communist China.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Noah Jarvis and William McBeath!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF

WestJet union condemns Pierre Poilievre’s use of their PA system

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The union representing WestJet’s flight attendants has called on WestJet to apologize for letting Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre use an airplane PA system to address passengers en route to Calgary from the Conservative convention in Quebec City.

In a thread on X, formerly Twitter, CUPE Local 4070 said it was “very disappointing” that the company allowed it.

“It’s very disappointing that WestJet management let a politician use the public address (PA) system on a recent flight for his political statement,” the union wrote.

“It is doubly disappointing that WestJet is now trying to assign blame on the cabin crew for this event. The cabin crew had no input into this decision. WestJet’s own work rules state clearly that no one other than operating crew are to use the public address system. A plane’s cabin crew should never be put in a position of having to take a political stance.” 

An X user who attended the Conservative convention posted a clip of Poilievre’s light-hearted address.

“This is your captain’s warning, a little bit of turbulence but it will only last about two years,” Poilievre said to laughter and applause from the passengers.

“At which time we’ll have a totally new crew and pilot in charge of the plane. We’ll pierce through the storm, safely land in our home, in the country we know and love. Your home, my home, our home. Let’s bring it home.”

Several activists, including singer Jann Arden, denounced WestJet for allowing Poilievre to speak over the PA system.

WestJet specifically scheduled the flight to accommodate the large number of travelers seeking transit from Quebec City to Calgary because of the Conservative convention.

WestJet said in a statement that the use of the PA was “approved in advance by WestJet operational leadership” but the cabin crew had the final say.

The union said this put the cabin crew in a difficult position.

“The cabin crew had no input into this decision. WestJet’s own work rules state clearly that no one other than operating crew are (sic) to use the public address system,” the union said.

“A plane’s cabin crew should never be put in a position of having to take a political stance.”

The union said WestJet showed “bad judgment” and called on both the airline and Poilievre to apologize.

“A flight’s PA system should be used to give passengers information they need and require. The crew is responsible for the safety of everyone on board, and we take that responsibility seriously. WestJet management and Mr. Poilievre owe passengers and crew an apology.”

Some X users disagree, with one person writing, “But… doesn’t the cabin crew have the ability to make sure that no one else uses the PA system? So if they didn’t want him on the PA, wouldn’t they’ve been able to stop him? So technically it’s the cabin crews fault…?”

Another user posted a video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doing something very similar on a subway for the Underground Freedom Train.

$28.2 billion in EV battery plant subsidies will take 20 years to break even

By
Quinn Patrick
-
Ontario electric vehicle battery plants

Federal government subsidies for two Ontario electric vehicle battery plants will total $2.82 billion dollars and, according to Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux, take 20 years to see that money again.

On Tuesday, a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) projected it will take 20 years for the government to break even on the subsidies the government has given to secure manufacturing jobs in the EV sector. 

In April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government would award $13.2 billion dollars to Volkswagen to build a new EV battery plant in St. Thomas, Ont.

Following Trudeau’s announcement, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said that in less than five years, the project will have matched the value of the subsidy. 

Taxpayer advocates are less convinced.

“Politicians said they’d get the money back in five years, but the PBO report is clear: it’ll be 20 years before we see if these deals even break even,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“But the government has a terrible track record on corporate welfare so taxpayers should be worried about whether they’ll ever see a real return on investment.”

In July, the federal government and the Ontario provincial government announced up to $15 billion dollars worth of subsidies for Stellantis-LG Energy Solutions to build an EV battery manufacturing plant in Windsor, Ont. 

When announced, the stated plan was to have the federal government cover two-thirds of the money for subsidies and have the Ontario government cover the remaining third. 

The initial estimates for when these subsidies would be paid off were based on a report by the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy for Canada in 2022, a non-profit think tank. 

The report estimated that the Volkswagen subsidies would break even after 3.3 years, based on the support from Ottawa and considering every link in the supply chain like mineral exploration, mining, assembly and recycling. 

The PBO however, said that their numbers differed from the think tank’s because they don’t believe that all aspects of the supply chain should be included but rather only the revenues generated by the cell and module manufacturing that the subsidies were allotted for in the first place. 

“The government was very optimistic in assuming that all this ecosystem surrounding electric vehicles would be developed as a result of these two plants and the subsidies that the government provided,” said Giroux in an interview with the Globe and Mail on Tuesday.

“So, a very optimistic assumption, considering that it’s a highly integrated auto sector in North America, and the investments could very well take place without these subsidies.”

The period of time it will take to have the government break even on these subsidies is much longer than what was initially promised, argued Giroux, closer to 20 years. 

“We estimate that federal and provincial government tax revenues generated from the Stellantis-LGES and Volkswagen EV battery manufacturing plants over the period 2024 to 2043 will be equal to the total amount of production subsidies,” said Giroux in his report.

“That is, the break-even timeline for the $28.2 billion in production subsidies announced for Stellantis-LGES and Volkswagen is estimated to be twenty years, significantly longer than the Government’s estimate of a payback within five years for Volkswagen.” 

Giroux said it’s important to put forth the kind of analysis that will allow Canadians to properly understand the merit of this spending so that it can be compared to other problems the country is facing.

“What else could they do with that money that could also generate wealth in this country?” said Giroux. “There’s other things that could be done with such a significant amount.”

Innovation Minister Champagne said that Canadians and the auto sector will still benefit from these deals, despite the difference in figures from the PBO report.

“While the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report does not capture many of the broader economic impacts on the supply chain, it does highlight, once again, that these investments will generate economic benefits far greater than our government’s contribution,” said Champagne.

Champagne claims that the government’s investments will create thousands of jobs across the entire EV supply chain.”

Canadian Taxpayers Federation Ontario director Jay Goldberg said it’s possible that taxpayers may not see the money spent at all, even after the twenty year period. 

“In reality, governments will get this money back somewhere between 20 years from now and never,” said Goldberg. “The PBO report is proof taxpayers shouldn’t trust politicians when they promise the moon with their corporate welfare deals.”

True North denied media access to Liberal caucus retreat

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The Liberal government has refused accreditation to True North to attend and report on its caucus retreat in London, Ont.

True North’s Andrew Lawton applied to the Prime Minister’s Office to attend the three-day retreat earlier this week but received no reply. When he went to the retreat venue, he was told at the media registration desk that he was not on the list and that “registration is closed.”

Lawton, a journalist and broadcaster with more than a decade of experience in the industry, is True North’s managing editor and resides in London.

According to Lawton, no reason was provided for the denial of accreditation.

“I spoke to someone from the Liberal whip’s office who reiterated that I was not accredited but refused to offer a rationale or the name of the decision-maker,” Lawton wrote on X about the ordeal.

This comes only days after Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez complained to the media about not being allowed to attend the Conservative convention in Quebec City.

“They didn’t invite me inside, usually, traditionally, parties invite people from other parties. We invited them last convention, they didn’t come, so I’m forced to be outside. He’s talking about freedom when I’m not even free to get in there.” Rodriguez told reporters. 

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault also complained to reporters about not being allowed to attend the Conservative convention, saying, “As you know, even some media were denied access to coming here.” 

In 2019, True North sued the Leader’s Debates Commission after it refused to accredit True North to cover the federal election debates. True North took the commission to court and won an injunction that granted media accreditation for True North.

The Leader’s Debates Commission claimed that they denied True North accreditation because of “advocacy,” however it provided no definition for the term.

“I find that the decisions are lacking in discernible rationality and logic, and thus are neither justified nor intelligible,” wrote Justice Russel Zinn about the Leaders’ Debates Commission’s decision.

Michael Chong urges Canada-U.S. cooperation to fight Chinese interference

By
Harrison Faulkner
-

Conservative MP Michael Chong testified before U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday on the subject of Chinese foreign interference efforts in Canada and the intimidation campaign waged against his family in Hong Kong after speaking out against the regime.

Since his appointment as the Conservative foreign affairs critic in 2020, Chong has been one of the most outspoken members of parliament against China’s interference in Canada and of China’s human rights abuses of its own citizens.

In November of 2020, Chong introduced a successful motion in the House calling on the Canadian government to form a robust plan to combat China’s growing foreign operations in Canada and its increasing intimidation of Chinese-Canadians living in Canada.

Chong followed that up by a introducing a motion later that year calling on the government to label China’s treatment of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang as a genocide.

China retaliated against Chong by targeting his family.

In May, Chong was briefed by Canadian intelligence officials that a Chinese diplomat based in Toronto had, since 2020, been gathering information to intimidate Chong’s relatives living in Hong Kong. Last month, Chong was briefed again, this time informing him that he was the target of a Chinese disinformation campaign on the social media platform WeChat.

“My experience is but one of many examples of Beijing’s interference in Canada,” Chong said in his opening statement to Congress. “Many other cases go unnoticed and the victims suffer in silence.”

Chong then turned his focus to informing U.S. lawmakers of the numerous tactics employed by the CCP to intimidate the Chinese diaspora community living in Canada.

One tactic, as Chong explained, is to target Chinese international students, “coaching them into participating in foreign interference threat activities on university campuses, such as targeting pro-Hong Kong democracy activists and Tibetan and Uighur human rights campaigners.”

Chong described China’s intimidation campaigns against international students as a “systemic, long term effort to create fear.”

Other tactics Chong outlined in his opening remarks include the targeting of Chinese-language media, the establishment of Chinese police stations on Canadian soil, the arrest and detention of Canadians in China and by coercing Chinese Canadians into returning to China by creating wanted lists and bounties for their arrest.

“These tactics cannot be tolerated in a free and sovereign country,” Chong said.

In response to a question about corporate espionage from Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mon.), Chong outlined how Canadian intelligence views China as “a threat in two ways, in five areas.”

“They are a threat to our national security, and they are a threat to us in the form of theft of intellectual property,” Chong said.

The five “sensitive areas of research and development” at Canada’s leading universities and companies according to Chong are in telecommunications, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, bio-pharma and clean technologies.

Besides providing his intimate understanding of Chinese interference tactics to U.S. lawmakers, Chong’s congressional testimony appeared to be as much about promoting collaboration between Canada and the United States in order to combat Chinese interference, as much as it was about sharing his own experience and knowledge of China’s malign tactics.

Chong’s loudest call for collaboration between the United States and Canada was to urge both countries to end global supply chain reliance on Chinese energy and critical minerals by bringing Canada’s vast supply of natural gas to global markets.

Chong also urged lawmakers to share legislative best practices with Canada on the creation of a foreign agent registry – something the Trudeau government has been widely criticized for failing to implement.

Furthermore, Chong urged Canada and the United States to publicize intelligence about Chinese interference efforts to better inform citizens on both sides of the border as to how China seeks to meddle in their lives.

When it comes to how both Canada and the United States fund research and development projects, Chong testified that granting councils need to immediately stop funding research projects with entities affiliated with China’s People’s Liberation Army.

Last week, after months of sustained calls from opposition parties, the federal government announced the establishment of a formal inquiry to investigate election interference.

Rather than focus solely on Chinese-led election interference efforts, the Trudeau government’s inquiry will investigate interference of all states in Canadian democratic affairs.

Dominic LeBlanc, Trudeau’s minister of Public Safety and Democratic Institutions announced the appointment of Quebec judge Marie-Josée Hogue as the Commissioner tasked with leading the investigation.

Hogue is expected to produce an initial report by Feb. 29, 2024, and a final report on foreign interference is expected by the end of 2024.

Data on safe supply drug programs show increase in deaths

By
Quinn Patrick
-

Six months after British Columbia decriminalized simple possession of all drugs, statistics show that drug overdoses are projected to hit an all time high by the end of the year.

Despite this data release, Toronto is still moving towards decriminalizing possession of all drugs as well, according to the Toronto Sun. 

The City of Toronto has requested an exemption from federal drug laws, pushed by chief medical officer Dr. Eileen de Villa and police chief Myron Demkiw, supported by city council. Toront’s request encompasses an even wider range of drugs than what has been decriminalized in B.C.

Those who are in support of decriminalization claim that the request for exemption is based on “science” and “evidence,” however the recent data published by the provincial government go against those claims. 

Decriminalization in B.C. was first brought in on Jan. 31. If the rate of overdose deaths in the province continues at the pace it’s currently at, this year will have the highest number of overdose deaths on record, according to the British Columbia Coroners Service. 

B.C. had 1,455 overdose deaths in the first six months of 2023, compared to 1,362 over the same time period last year. The province is facing an overdose death rate of 46.2 per 100,000, which would make it the highest in recorded history. 

The number of overdose deaths continues to climb, despite the fact that B.C. has implemented every proposed harm-reduction program, including safe-injection sites, safe supply and decriminalizing all simple possession. 

With the exception of a slight drop in overdose deaths in 2019, the number has gone up following the introduction of each new measure.

The number of B.C. overdose deaths for the entire year of 2013 was 334, whereas this year there have already been 1,455. Between January 1 and July 31 the city of Vancouver alone has seen 382 overdose deaths. 

Safe supply is a program that aims to curb the amount of emergency room visits and overdose deaths by providing addicts with prescriptions of pharmaceutical grade opioids in an attempt to steer them away from toxically laced street drugs. 

In 2016, London, Ont. attempted a pilot project of this program and data found that emergency room visits went up dramatically. In 2021, emergency room visits increased from 39.5 per 100,000 to 203.7 per 100,000 and London’s opioid deaths rose from 6.3 per 100,000 to 25.4 per 100,000.

The pilot project was still considered to be a success and has since been expanded to a number of other communities throughout the country. 

Dr. Mark Mallet works in a hospital in Victoria which offers an unwitnessed safe supply program, wherein people are given drugs that they can take home. On Saturday, Mallet wrote an opinion piece for the Globe and Mail, calling for an end to this program. He said he has seen an increase in younger people needing help for opioid addiction since the program has been introduced. 

“Unwitnessed safe supply is causing immeasurable harm in unintended and deeply distressing ways,” wrote Mallet.

Despite clear data from both Public Health Ontario and the British Columbia Coroners Service that these programs result in higher death rates and increased visits to the emergency room, many activist doctors still push for these programs. 

Dr. Andrea Sereda and several other doctors published a study on the pilot project in London, that they were also participants in and claimed the project to be a success. They took the experience of 100 people who used the program over a four year period and claimed that they had less overdoses and visits to the emergency room. 

However, the study does not account for the broader impact these programs have on the community and there is a clear conflict of interest when those participating in the program are also the ones claiming its success. 

Over half of Canadians want Trudeau to reduce immigration targets: poll

By
Quinn Patrick
-
Hamilton Citizenship Ceremony / Copyright: JOEY COLEMAN / THEPUBLICRECORD.CA

A Nanos poll has revealed that over half of Canadians would like to see the Trudeau government lower the number of incoming immigrants and international students, planned for 2023. 

The poll conducted for the Globe and Mail saw an increase of nearly 20 percentage points of Canadians who believe it’s time to lower the amount of immigrants accepted into Canada in the last six months. Ottawa’s current target is to accept 465,000 new immigrants by the end of the year. 

This figure only includes permanent residents and not temporary foreign workers or international students.

Nanos conducted a similar poll in March, which found 34% of respondents wanted fewer immigrants than the federal government’s target; that number is now up to 55%. Around a third of respondents say they are fine with the current target from Ottawa while eight percent believe it should be increased even more. 

Canada’s housing crisis is undoubtedly a large contributing factor to the shift in tone from March, according to the chairman of Nanos Research Nik Nanos. He believes the recent responses are a reflection of “the intersection of the pressure on housing affordability with views on immigration.”

“Regardless of Canada’s tradition of welcoming newcomers, there is a reality that people are wondering where the new people will live and what it might mean in terms of even more pressure on housing.” said Nanos.

The federal government laid out a plan to accept 465,000 new permanent residents this year, with an increased target of 485,000 for 2024 and then raising that number again to 500,000 for 2025.

In August, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that Canada is set to welcome 900,000 international students in 2023, which is triple the annual amount the country accepted ten years ago. 

Similarly, the poll found over half of respondents would like to see fewer international students as well, with under a third agreeing to the target of 900,00o. Under seven percent of respondents felt the target was too low. 

Last month, Housing Minister Sean Fraser alluded to the possibility of a cap on international students, while speaking with reporters at the Liberal’s cabinet retreat in Charlottetown but he has yet to confirm any concrete information on the potential change. 

“The reality is we’ve got temporary immigration programs that were never designed to see such explosive growth in such a short period of time,” said Fraser.

The international student program has no cap in place and is simply based on demand, unlike the permanent resident program which sets targets annually. 

The poll was conducted online and by phone and saw a total of 1,044 respondents and responses tended to vary provincially. 

Respondents in the Prairies were most in favour of reducing annual immigration targets, with 61% saying that 465,000 was too many people, whereas in B.C. that number dropped to 43%.

Responses also varied when it came to international students as well, with Quebec showing the most support for reducing the number of international students, with 59.7% saying a reduction was necessary. In B.C., 48% of respondents felt it was time for a reduction. 

The age range of those who wanted a reduction of international students was most commonly found among respondents who were aged between 35-54 years old, at 57%. 

Those over the age of 55, responded in favour of fewer international students by 52.9%

The poll was conducted between Sept.2 and Sept. 4 and open to all Canadians over the age of 18. The margin of error for this poll is three percentage points, 19 times out of 20. 

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